


back up!

by yawnralphio



Series: Fictober20 [29]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Gen, Gun Violence, Mugging, fictober20
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:40:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27288814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yawnralphio/pseuds/yawnralphio
Summary: Buck makes a choice in a perilous moment.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz
Series: Fictober20 [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1967260
Comments: 1
Kudos: 58





	back up!

The cool October breeze surrounded them as they walked down the quiet side street. Chris chattered away at his side about the differences between gelato and ice cream, setting the pace as they made their way back toward Eddie's truck.

Shortly after leaving the restaurant where they'd eaten dinner, Chris had announced his desire for dessert. The two of them stuck to the shorter route back to the truck, while Eddie broke away and detoured to the convenience store a block out of their way.

Buck nodded and smiled as Chris went on, but it was all frozen deliciousness to him. Slow churn, fast churn, no churn - ice cream was ice cream, as long as it had bits of chocolate in it.

The sun had already set, and dusk washed the street with a hazy glow. The street lamps had yet to turn on, and the empty street took on an eerie stillness in the fading daylight. At the corner ahead where the truck was parked, Eddie stood leaning against it, a brown bag tucked under his arm. If he noticed them, he made no indication of it.

Buck opened his mouth to point him out to Christopher just as a dark shape emerged from between two buildings directly in front of them.

The figure had narrow shoulders covered by a canvas jacket. A balaclava was pulled down over his chin, leaving only his sunken eyes and a thin mouth visible. He stood with his shoulders hunched, one hand tucked inside the flap of his jacket; the sight of him made every hair on Buck's body stand on end.

The air grew stale as they stared at one another. Then the man lifted his chin.

"Wallet," he grunted in a hoarse voice, drawing the hand from within his jacket. Light glinted off the stainless steel of the revolver he pointed at them.

"Okay," Buck said, his mind chugging to catch up to what was happening. Christopher's shoulder brushed against his hip, and his concentration narrowed down to a single thought. It would only take half a step to put Chris behind him, to angle his body in a way that protected Chris from any bullet that fired. He lifted his foot, but the man stopped that train of thought in its tracks.

"Back up!" He barked. His finger tightened on the trigger and Buck swallowed hard, freezing in place. The mugger glanced around them as if startled by his own outburst. He glared when his gaze settled on Buck once more.

"Just stay calm, sir," Buck said, trying his best to adopt the tone he used while working. He sent up a silent prayer that Eddie had heard or seen what was happening. The corner behind the mugger was empty now, the brown paper bag Eddie had been holding sitting on the hood of his truck.

Buck looked at the mugger and spread his fingers across Christopher's chest in an attempt to guide him back. The movement drew the mugger's attention and he glared, turning the gun on Christopher instead. Buck's heart stopped.

"Your wallet or the kid," the man growled, jerking the muzzle of the revolver for emphasis.

"Yeah, anything you want," Buck said, reaching back for his wallet. He managed to keep his voice steady, but his fingers shook as he dug into his pocket.

"Phone too," the mugger said, licking his lips. His eyes flashed as he greedily looked Buck from head to toe, assessing the value of everything he wore. "And the watch."

"It's yours," Buck assured him.

Movement caught his eye, and he fought back the mixture of worry and fear swirling in his gut when Eddie practically materialized out of thin air. His face was hard as he glared at the back of the mugger's head.

Eddie waved his hand to get Buck's attention, as if he didn't already have it, and motioned toward the car just a couple feet away from them. From his position, there was no way he could see which direction the gun was pointed; the odds that he even knew a gun was involved were slim. In the split second of his indecision, Eddie stepped closer to the mugger, and Buck formed his own plan.

"Hurry up!" The mugger hissed, his finger shifting on the trigger.

The next few seconds happened in slow motion. Eddie's hand appeared under the mugger's raised arm at the same time Buck turned, scooping Christopher up into his arms and turning so that his back was to the mugger. He bent and crouched, folding them both over to make them the smallest target possible, and then he squeezed his eyes shut and put his faith in Eddie Diaz the same way he'd done countless times before.

The sound of the two men struggling behind them was brief, followed by the crack of the gun firing. Searing, burning pain blossomed on the outside of Buck's shoulder, and the scuffle ended in the wake of it.

Footsteps approached them from behind, barely heard over the ringing in his ears. A hand grabbed Buck's shoulder and tugged.

"Buck? Are you okay?" Eddie's worried face flooded Buck with relief and he breathed out.

"Is he…" Buck pressed his lips together, not wanting to ask the question in front of Chris.

"No," Eddie said, his voice clipped. His dark eyes flashed. His gaze strayed from Buck's face to his shoulder, and some of the anger was replaced by concern. "Were you hit?" He asked, and his attention almost immediately redirected to Chris tucked away in Buck's grip. Buck let him go as Eddie picked him up, crutches and all, and hugged him tight.

"Just a flesh wound," Buck muttered. He looked at his arm and grimaced at the sight of his singed sweater. Blood spread slowly from where the bullet had grazed him. "We should probably call someone," he muttered, wrinkling his nose and doing his best not to poke at the wound.

"Probably," Eddie sighed. He turned with Chris in his arms to look at Buck with a mixture of wonder and appreciation on his face. "Thank you," he whispered, repeating the words as he closed his eyes. "Thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](https://yawnralphio.tumblr.com).
> 
> Reblog [here](https://yawnralphio.tumblr.com/post/633358638438875136/29-back-up-fox-911-mugging-gun-violence).


End file.
